Breakthrough discovery in scar healing process

Scientists have discovered that skin cells have the ability to switch between solid and liquid states to promote the healing process - Illustration: GETTY IMAGES

Have you ever wondered what happens when a small cut heals? Professor Cédric Blanpain's team at the Free University of Brussels (ULB) dug into this question and made a surprising discovery.

By directly observing the wound healing process in mice under a microscope, they discovered that skin cells not only migrate to fill the wound, but also undergo a very special state transformation process.

According to research published in the journal Cell , skin cells initially appear in a solid state. However, when there is a wound, they “melt” into a liquid form, allowing them to move easily and quickly to the site of repair.

Once their job is done, these cells "freeze" to form new skin tissue.

This transition between solid and liquid states is like a biological “gel.” Scientists have identified the genetic factors that play a key role in controlling this transition. They can even use drugs to temporarily block this process and keep cells in a liquid state.

This discovery opens up new prospects for treating chronic wounds such as diabetic ulcers, pressure ulcers and diseases that involve tissue regeneration. By understanding the mechanism of scar healing, scientists can develop more effective treatments that help wounds heal faster and minimize scarring.

In addition, this research also has important implications for the field of regenerative medicine. Scientists are looking for ways to stimulate tissue regeneration in other organs such as the heart, liver and lungs. Understanding the mechanism of scar healing in the skin could provide important implications for research on regenerating these tissues.

Many questions remain. For example, how can we speed up the healing of large wounds? Does this process of cell state transition occur in other types of tissue? And how can we control this process more precisely?

However, the research team's discovery has provided a completely new perspective on the scar healing process. This is an important step forward in understanding the body's self-healing mechanism and opens up new directions for treating wound-related diseases.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/phat-hien-dot-pha-ve-qua-trinh-lien-seo-20240816142942721.htm